Edwin Clark and Nyesom Wike
The leader of the Ijaw nation, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday, asked the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over his threat to set fire to states under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party.
But Wike’s kinsmen, under the aegis of Concerned Rivers Citizens for Good Governance, tackled the elder statesman, warning him to desist from his repeated attacks on Wike.
Clark, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, was reacting to Wike’s remarks in Port Harcourt on August 31, warning the PDP Governors’ Forum to stay out of the crisis between him and the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The PDP governors had declared their support for Fubara to be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State, a development Wike was not happy about.
He warned the PDP governors to stay out of Rivers issue or he would create crisis for them in their states.
However, Clark described Wike’s statement as “flagrant disrespect to the person of President Bola Tinubu, who appointed him, and a threat to public peace”.
“Wike has breached a number of laws, public laws and so on. He has committed crimes, and for him to say that he will burn states belonging to PDP governors and so on, is treasonable. Nobody, no governor, no minister can go to that extent. It’s a breach of the constitution.
“Wike believes that the only person today that is above him is Mr President. He is free to insult anybody, to do whatever he likes. But if you go with a warrant of arrest, he will not be able to escape it. I am calling on him (Egbetokun) to step out in the interest of this country, not to allow personal relationship to undermine the Constitution of Nigeria, which Wike has breached,” Clark said.
Clark said since the Federal Government had been arresting people for treason, Wike’s case should not be different.
“Is it Sowore that committed treason by saying I call for revolution in Nigeria? Where did he say it? On what grounds? What impact did it make?
But here is a serving Minister in the FRN saying he would burn the states of his colleagues, he would burn their hands and they won’t sleep again in their houses, he would do everything to disorganise the governments of those states.
“If you could, in the past, arrest Sowore for similar or less instigating threats against public peace and public officials, if you are right now leading prosecution in the law court against people who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests, what are you waiting for to act in the case of Wike?Remember that you are under oath to uphold the law as the serving Inspector General of Police, including the fact that you will not be partial,”he said.
But responding to Clark, Wike’s kinsmen warned the Ijaw leader in a statement jointly signed by Chief Princewill Amadi, Welekwa Nyenwem, Elder Owhor kemnogwum, Mr Chikere Nnadi and Mrs Blessing Woke.
“Today, on the pages of PUNCH Newspapers, etc – -‘Arrest Wike now, Clark tells IG’ is part of a well orchestrated and oiled smear campaign to undermine our leader/son’s unparalleled political ascendancy beyond their imagination, protection of his/supporters’ interests, inciting a section against him, a vicious plot to demarketing him before the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who reposed confidence in him for his superlative political/administrative wizardry in the build up to the 2023 Presidential election, wherein he assiduously worked with other compatriots for the emergence of PBAT, to the applause of the citizens of Nigeria. This too, will fail like other plots against him.
“The elder statesman had at various times praised the Former Governor of Rivers State/FCT Minister-H E , Bar, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Life Bencher when the FCT Minister fought in defence of former President Goodluck Jonathan an Ijaw son)when it was dangerous to do so and when in 2023, he also rallied likeminded Rivers citizens which culminated in the enthronement of Gov. Sim Fubara(an Ijaw son)as elected helmsman in Rivers State, a position the Ijaws have unsuccessfully sought to occupy for over 24 years. At these epochs, H E Wike was the best, as Chief Edwin Clark’s clannish interest was assuaged or placated,” the group said.
But the South-South chiefs, elders and opinion leaders expressed worry over the lingering political crisis in Rivers State and called on Wike to allow peace to reign in the state.
They charged Wike, whom they describe as ‘Oga in Abuja’, to obey the rule of law and come to terms with the fact that he is no longer a governor, hence he should allow his successor, Fubara to concentrate on governance in the state.
Speaking under the aegis of South-South Chiefs, Elders and Opinion Leaders Association of Nigeria, their chairman, Dr Omubo Harry, said, “May I also humbly appeal to those of you who have served for eight years, your tenure is over. Let us give the young man to bring in his own ideas and we are seeing the dividends.”
Harry said it was God Almighty that brought Fubara to power and nobody could remove him.
“You don’t dare God. Fubara will complete the eight years. South-South Chiefs and Elders, we can’t tie our hands and watch two greedy or three greedy persons try to shamble the democracy in our state, try to impose poverty, try to indict innocent souls because of their personal interest.
“We say no to that. Let the right thing be done. What you are talking about is ‘Mr Oga in the Federal’ allow the state to be in peace; allow governor Fubara to do his work and be the grace of God, he’s going to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State.
“We are traditional rulers, we are not here in a campaign room but we are saying that governance is turn by turn. Right now it is the turn of the present Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Why don’t we give him chance?
“What makes you think that you have served for eight good years and you are better than the present people? Why can’t we try another person? Look at what is happening. The Internally Generated Revenue of the state has increased. No more salary delay, employment is going on here and there.
“Allow the man to do his work. Mr Oga in Abuja, please allow the man here to do his work. As I said earlier, nobody has the monopoly of wisdom except God and what God has ordained, let no man put any asunder.”
